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Vintage Charts

United States

United States California/Rhône-Style Reds

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Vintage Napa Paso Robles Santa Barbara Sonoma Drink Window Description
Vintage
2021
Napa
92
Paso Robles
94
Santa Barbara
93
Sonoma
92
Drink Window
Drink or hold
Description

Dry summer was seasonably warm, with weather cooling after a heat spike near Memorial Day, allowing the grapes time to fully mature
Description

Dry summer was seasonably warm, with weather cooling after a heat spike near Memorial Day, allowing the grapes time to fully mature
Vintage
2020
Napa
84
Paso Robles
92
Santa Barbara
92
Sonoma
84
Drink Window
Drink or hold
Description

Vines were stressed by a hot, dry summer, while wildfires throughout California raised concerns about smoke taint
Description

Vines were stressed by a hot, dry summer, while wildfires throughout California raised concerns about smoke taint
Vintage
2019
Napa
92
Paso Robles
95
Santa Barbara
95
Sonoma
92
Drink Window
Drink or hold
Description

Warm but extended growing season produced rich wines with polished tannins; best in the Central Coast
Description

Warm but extended growing season produced rich wines with polished tannins; best in the Central Coast
Vintage
2018
Napa
92
Paso Robles
94
Santa Barbara
94
Sonoma
92
Drink Window
Drink or hold
Description

A goldilocks vintage with a flawless growing season that allowed winemakers to craft impressive wines
Description

A goldilocks vintage with a flawless growing season that allowed winemakers to craft impressive wines
Vintage
2017
Napa
90
Paso Robles
90
Santa Barbara
90
Sonoma
89
Drink Window
Drink or hold
Description

Dramatic weather conditions, from floods to heat waves to wildfires, add up to a variable and challenging vintage
Description

Dramatic weather conditions, from floods to heat waves to wildfires, add up to a variable and challenging vintage
Vintage
2016
Napa
94
Paso Robles
94
Santa Barbara
92
Sonoma
93
Drink Window
Drink or hold
Description
A textbook vintage with nearly ideal growing conditions throughout the year
Description
A textbook vintage with nearly ideal growing conditions throughout the year
Vintage
2015
Napa
94
Paso Robles
94
Santa Barbara
91
Sonoma
94
Drink Window
Drink or hold
Description
Challenged by a warm season marked by heat spikes, winemakers managed to retain elegance and aromatics
Description
Challenged by a warm season marked by heat spikes, winemakers managed to retain elegance and aromatics
Vintage
2014
Napa
93
Paso Robles
92
Santa Barbara
92
Sonoma
94
Drink Window
Drink or hold
Description
Similar to the 2013s, but more ripe, more full-bodied and in some regions more tannic
Description
Similar to the 2013s, but more ripe, more full-bodied and in some regions more tannic
Vintage
2013
Napa
94
Paso Robles
94
Santa Barbara
92
Sonoma
93
Drink Window
Drink or hold
Description
Nearly ideal growing season with lots of sunshine but few heat spikes; wines are expressive early but show aging potential
Description
Nearly ideal growing season with lots of sunshine but few heat spikes; wines are expressive early but show aging potential
Vintage
2012
Napa
93
Paso Robles
93
Santa Barbara
88
Sonoma
92
Drink Window
Drink or hold
Description
Record-sized crop with firmly tannic wines and some real beauties; should reward time in the cellar
Description
Record-sized crop with firmly tannic wines and some real beauties; should reward time in the cellar
Vintage
2011
Napa
87
Paso Robles
87
Santa Barbara
87
Sonoma
87
Drink Window
Drink
Description

A damp, cool year led to mixed results. Off the pace of best years, yet there are pockets of success; early drinkers
Description

A damp, cool year led to mixed results. Off the pace of best years, yet there are pockets of success; early drinkers
Vintage
2010
Napa
93
Paso Robles
97
Santa Barbara
87
Sonoma
93
Drink Window
Drink
Description
A cool, late harvest, but amazingly ripe and full-bodied wines
Description
A cool, late harvest, but amazingly ripe and full-bodied wines
Vintage
2009
Napa
92
Paso Robles
95
Santa Barbara
92
Sonoma
93
Drink Window
Drink
Description
Fabulous wines throughout despite a challenging season; the ripeness is there, even if it came late
Description
Fabulous wines throughout despite a challenging season; the ripeness is there, even if it came late
Vintage
2008
Napa
91
Paso Robles
98
Santa Barbara
91
Sonoma
91
Drink Window
Drink
Description
A tough start ended with glorious wines statewide, rivaling 2007 for complexity, depth and finesse
Description
A tough start ended with glorious wines statewide, rivaling 2007 for complexity, depth and finesse
Vintage
2007
Napa
95
Paso Robles
96
Santa Barbara
95
Sonoma
92
Drink Window
Drink
Description
Tremendous quality and uncommon complexity statewide; the best on record, along with 2009 and 2006
Description
Tremendous quality and uncommon complexity statewide; the best on record, along with 2009 and 2006
Vintage
2006
Napa
93
Paso Robles
92
Santa Barbara
94
Sonoma
95
Drink Window
Drink
Description
A golden vintage, fabulous acoss all regions, offering great diversity of styles
Description
A golden vintage, fabulous acoss all regions, offering great diversity of styles
Vintage
2005
Napa
92
Paso Robles
86
Santa Barbara
89
Sonoma
87
Drink Window
Drink
Description
Intense, structured, high-quality wines
Description
Intense, structured, high-quality wines
Vintage
2004
Napa
97
Paso Robles
89
Santa Barbara
86
Sonoma
89
Drink Window
Drink
Description
A superb vintage, particularly in Napa; concentrated, intense and complex wines
Description
A superb vintage, particularly in Napa; concentrated, intense and complex wines
Vintage
2003
Napa
90
Paso Robles
83
Santa Barbara
89
Sonoma
90
Drink Window
Drink
Description
Dark, intense, structured and concentrated
Description
Dark, intense, structured and concentrated
Vintage
2002
Napa
96
Paso Robles
84
Santa Barbara
85
Sonoma
89
Drink Window
Drink
Description
Tremendous in Napa and Sonoma; dark, rich and plush
Description
Tremendous in Napa and Sonoma; dark, rich and plush
Vintage
2001
Napa
97
Paso Robles
89
Santa Barbara
87
Sonoma
89
Drink Window
Drink
Description
Solid in all regions, with an edge to Napa; intense and concentrated wines
Description
Solid in all regions, with an edge to Napa; intense and concentrated wines
Vintage
2000
Napa
93
Paso Robles
82
Santa Barbara
85
Sonoma
87
Drink Window
Drink
Description
Strong in Napa, showing that Syrah doesn't always run with Cabernet
Description
Strong in Napa, showing that Syrah doesn't always run with Cabernet


Vintage ratings: 95-100, classic; 90-94, outstanding; 85-89, very good; 80-84, good; 75-79, mediocre; 50-74, not recommended

A score range indicates preliminary analysis based on barrel samples and/or a limited sampling; many wines of the vintage not yet reviewed.

Drinkability: "NYR" means the vintage has not yet been released; "drink" means most of the wines of the vintage are ready to drink; "hold" means most of the ageworthy wines have yet to fully mature; "past peak" means most of the wines are declining rather than improving.

SOURCE: WINE SPECTATOR